The Biggest Mistake You Can Make While Smoking A Cigar

Recently, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Nat
Sherman's Executive Director of Retail and Brand Development
Michael Herklots. After a great tour of the Nat Sherman Townhouse in Midtown
Manhattan, Michael shared a ton of interesting cigar
info with us.

We were especially intrigued when he described the
biggest mistake a smoker can make lighting their cigar: using a
Zippo.

Mangling the head, screwing up the cut—those are manageable mistakes. Sparking up the
prized cigar with a Zippo on the other hand—that's a catastrophic mistake, Michael told
us.

When a smoker lights his cigar with a Zippo, he's not 100 percent
sure of the fuel that's being used. Butane is okay. It's odorless
and free of oil. It won't jeopardize the integrity or taste of
the cigar.

But some Zippos don't use butane. They're a bit more of a
wild-card in terms of fuel usage. Some use low-grade, odorous
fuels—like fuels made by
Ronson—that will greatly taint your
cigar.

Try not to use candles to light your cigar as well. Herklots
warns that any foreign substance entering your cigar is
undesirable. A vanilla candle can compromise the taste of your
tobacco blend.

The best way to burn? A basic box of phosphorous matches should
get the job done, as will non-aromatic and clean butane lighters.